Broadcaster Hit by Vandals, then by Local County Officials. What an outrage!

[k4kyv]

An interesting story appears in the Feb 18 09 issue of Radio World Engineering Extra. AM station KLZ in CO was not only repeatedly hit by copper thieves, but the storage barn at the transmitter site has, over the past few years, become a target for graffiti artists.  As fast as the station engineer could paint over the graffiti, the vandals would come back and apply more.  Eventually the station personnel just gave up, and let three sides of the building plus the roof become covered with graffiti.

A few months ago, the station owners got a citation from the county for failure to remove the graffiti "promptly" in accordance with some obscure county ordinance.  Immediately, the station contracted with a painter to wash, prime and paint the whole structure, knowing good and well that as soon as they provided a fresh "canvas", the "artists" would be back.

So they hired a fence contractor to install an eight-foot security fence round the whole thing.  But that project got delayed because the station had to first get a county permit before they could build the fence, and that took a while.  The engineer kept the code enforcement people completely informed throughout the process, so it was quite a surprise when a sheriff's deputy showed up at the office with a summons because they evidently weren't moving fast enough.  The case was dismissed in court, but it cost the station over $8000 to secure and paint the storage barn and deal with county officials.

To me, that story is totally outrageous.  The building was being covered with graffiti because county law enforcement wasn't doing their job, allowing the vandals to repeatedly return to damage the property.  I know it's probably a losing proposition to try to fight city hall, but if I had been the station owners I would have raised one hell of a stink.  If the county so urgently wanted that graffiti to be removed, but the cops were unable or unwilling to apprehend the vandals who were damaging the property in the first place, then the graffiti should have been removed and the building repainted at county expense. 

I think instead of hiring a painting contractor I would have hired a lawyer.  Long live the "Land of the Free". 

[WB2YGF]

What they should have done is cover the outside of the building with chicken wire connected to 10 kV. 

[Jim, W5JO]

Anymore this is what one expects in Colo.  When I lived further West, Colo. was called California East.

[ka3zlr]

Well What does this County do when the railroad comes through..you been to any rail heads seen any trains lately...been to N.J...LOL....

me thinks there's more to the story...

[ab3al]

Supreme court decision stated that the job of the police was to prosecute law breakers.  Not to protect you from them.  And Obama wants to take away our guns

DEFENSLESS

[k4kyv]

Supreme court decision stated that the job of the police was to prosecute law breakers.  Not to protect you from them. 

What court decision was that?  State or federal?  I thought it was the attorney general, the district attorney or whatever name the local jurisdiction calls the lawyer who represents the state, who prosecutes law breakers.

But my point is, why should I be held legally and financially responsible by the state or county to clean up a mess on my own property that is not a public safety hazard, when it was unlawfully caused by a third party?  If it is OK with me to just leave it be, but the county wants it cleaned up, then they should do it at their own expense, not mine. If the perpetrator is ever apprehended he should be the one made to pay for the clean-up.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

If you think the graffiti ruling is bad Don, check out this story:

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=110538&provider=top&catid=188

Seems a bus driver let a couple old ladies off his bus and a fellow was helping them cross the street. The driver had apparently stepped off to help them out and saw a truck coming. He pushed the three people out of the way, got hit by the truck - and got a ticket for jaywalking! San Francisco values meet the Old West....   

[k4kyv]

What happens if you don't pay a jaywalking ticket?  Do they pull your walking licence?

[Opcom]

In Dallas they issue an arrest warrant so as to make more money.

[W3RSW]

Had tool theft from an unmaned compressor station at night.  Supervisor was so mad he hid in the loft waiting for the next theft.  Of course no one showed up, but the super felt like he did something constructive and let his blood cool a little.  Thieves came in on 4 wheelers along the RR tracks to the remote location.  So we installed cameras which I'm surprised the BC station didn't do.  I mean, technology and all..   uh, radio and infrared, even plain old light waves are related.

One thing about fencing tools in a remote area..  the perps were caught.  I guess the dayglo orange on some of the handles didn't mean much to them.

[Ed/KB1HYS]

One thing about fencing tools in a remote area..  the perps were caught.  I guess the dayglo orange on some of the handles didn't mean much to them.

One thing in our favor (Decent hardworking folks that is),

Criminals are generally stupid...